U.S. Teen Pregnanacy Rate At Lowest Level In 40 Years

A study released by the Guttmacher Institute shows that teen pregnancy has reached it’s lowest level in nearly 40 years. According to “U.S. Teenage Pregnancies, Births and Abortions, 2008: National Trends by Age, Race and Ethnicity,” researchers found that in 2008 there were 67.8 pregnancies for every 1,000 women ages 15 to 19, signaling a 42 percent decrease from 1990 when teen pregnancies peaked at 116.9 pregnancies per 1,000 young women. Teen pregnancy among women younger than 15 declined 62 percent during that same period, from 17.5 pregnancies per 1,000 to just 6.6 pregnancies per 1,000 women. Teen birth and abortion rates for young women ages 15 to 19 have followed a similar tragectory, with birthrates falling 35 percent and abortion plummeting 59 percent. Researchers are convinced that the drastic decline in teen preganacy and abortion rates can be attributed to more effective contraceptive use by teens.